Chapter 6 - THE WOMAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
Daniel stared at the photograph.
His hands went numb.
The date was printed clearly.
One year after Sarah’s death.
But there she was.
Standing in front of the old family office.
Alive.
Smiling.
And beside her…
Was Daniel.
Except he had no memory of that day.
“No…”
He whispered.
“This isn’t real.”
Vanessa watched him carefully.
“You always said memories couldn’t be wrong.”
Daniel looked at her.
“What does that mean?”
She didn’t answer.
Instead, she walked toward the table.
“You need to understand something.”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
“You’re not going to explain your way out of this.”
“No.”
Vanessa looked tired.
“For once, I’m going to tell you the truth.”
Emma immediately shook her head.
“Don’t listen to her.”
Vanessa looked at Emma.
“You spent two years locked away because you refused to accept reality.”
Daniel stepped between them.
“Start talking.”
Vanessa took a deep breath.
“Sarah wasn’t killed.”
Daniel froze.
“What?”
“She disappeared.”
Emma shouted:
“She was running because she was afraid!”
Vanessa turned.
“Because she knew what Daniel’s father had done.”
Daniel looked between them.
“What did my father do?”
Vanessa reached into her pocket.
She pulled out an old key.
“A company file.”
Daniel frowned.
“What?”
“Your father created a private archive.”
“For what?”
“Everything.”
She placed the key on the table.
“Money transfers. Illegal deals. Names. Payments.”
Daniel stared.
“And Sarah found it.”
Vanessa nodded.
“She planned to expose him.”
“Then why didn’t she?”
Vanessa looked at him.
“Because someone stopped her.”
Daniel’s voice lowered.
“Who?”
Nobody answered.
Then Emma whispered:
“You.”
Daniel turned slowly.
“What?”
Emma looked terrified.
“Daniel… Sarah believed you betrayed her.”
The words cut deeper than any weapon.
“No.”
Emma cried.
“She thought you knew.”
Daniel shook his head.
“I loved Sarah.”
“I know.”
“Then why would she think that?”
Emma looked toward the photograph.
“Because she found something.”
“What?”
Emma whispered:
“Your signature.”
Daniel stared.
“My signature?”
“On the documents.”
The room went silent.
Daniel looked at his own hands.
Hands that had signed thousands of business papers.
Hands that had trusted his father.
Hands that might have destroyed his wife’s life.
Then Lily walked toward him.
“Dad…”
Daniel looked down.
His daughter held something.
Another envelope.
Where did you find that?”
Lily pointed toward the hidden room.
“Someone put it there.”
Daniel opened it.
Inside was one sentence.
Written by Sarah.
Daniel, if you remember nothing else, remember this: you were never the enemy.
Daniel looked up.
Confused.
Then another line appeared below.
The person you trust most is the person who has been lying to you.
Everyone slowly looked toward Vanessa.
But Vanessa wasn’t looking at Daniel.
She was looking at Lily.
And for the first time…
She looked afraid.
Because she knew something Daniel didn’t.
Something about Lily.
May you like
Something that could destroy everything.
TO BE CONTINUED...
